04-02-2007 23:36

Cody Carey

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

I spy corrugated lexan! We are considering using this stuff after seeing it on team 173 R.A.G.E.'s hopper last year. It looks to be holding up well, but are there any specific complaints about it?

The robot looks beautiful!

04-02-2007 23:36

Zoheb N

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

that is a pretty sweet ramp! Looks like you guys are just going to lift a robot using your ramp.

04-02-2007 23:36

Dan Zollman

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Nice job with the manipulator. It looks very easy to pick up and score the ringers.

04-02-2007 23:49

Alex Cormier

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

it's quite good stuff, 1126 has been using it for a few years now.

the thing i don't get is the position of the inside honeycombs, i did a few tests with it recently and noticed it's a lot stronger with the honeycomb innerads perpindicular to the support rails underneath. so what was the choice of placement?

05-02-2007 01:26

AdamHeard

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Do you have any vids of your old robots driving onto it?

05-02-2007 05:39

Tim Arnold

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

I guess its just me as nobody else has complained, but I cannot open the above movie (07bot.avi) in Windows Media Player, Nero Showtime, or even VLC, which opens *everything*.

I can see the thumbnail in windows explorer, but when I open it it won't even begin to play. Is this problem only with me, or has nobody else tried to watch?

05-02-2007 05:47

Gabe

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Works fine for me... I can even go full screen (very pixilated). It should be a regular .avi playing on Windows Media Player.

05-02-2007 06:20

Tim Arnold

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Hmm. I tried Windows Media Player again, and this time it opens, but it crashes around 8 seconds consistantly. Quite odd... maybe I just need to reboot :/


EDIT: Nevermind, it worked in Nero Showtime... I guess my comp is on the fritz

05-02-2007 07:59

Donut

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Nice video of it scoring! Looks to be a good machine. Are all of the ramp supports on casters, since you were moving with it delpoyed?

05-02-2007 08:48

JBotAlan

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Yeah, Winamp opened it, and it looked fine for most of the way, then when it had something like 5 seconds left, Winamp "caused a serious error"...and the video looked awful about halfway through, like there were no keyframes anywhere...

Oh well.

Nice manipulator (why does that sound vaguely dirty?)

JBot

05-02-2007 08:58

jcatt

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

The problem that is affecting some people is that the video is encoded with Divx. If you don;t have the Divx Codec installed then you wont be able to play it. You can download the codec at Http://www.divx.com/divx/windows/download/index.php

05-02-2007 09:00

MattLi

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

How much does it weigh?

05-02-2007 13:47

Swampdude

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

- That paneling works good for something off the shelf thats strong and light
- It needs to be supported min every 8" from an edge and the supports are in the axial direction of the ramp, not so much the sides
- there are rounded nylon end caps on all the floor contacting points
- right now we're about 5lbs over weight. But we have 2 of the large cims with 2 small cims installed currently. If we do not find ample weight savings in some other places, we may go back to the 2 smaller cims in each AM shifter.
- I do not have video of our other bots driving on it, however we did do that, and it worked great with our crappy wooden programming bot (woody). Also we placed 2 bots on top of it. I will get video of the deployment and 2 bots riding up it this week though, and post that.

I have learned that building a ramp is much harder than it seems. I wanted to build an arm and then have a simple ramp off the end but I couldn't get around the structural requirements needed to have a ramp that could last the rigors of 20+ competition matches.

Thanks for the compliments!

05-02-2007 15:13

AdamHeard

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

[quote=Swampdude;572328]
- right now we're about 5lbs over weight. But we have 2 of the large cims with 2 small cims installed currently. If we do not find ample weight savings in some other places, we may go back to the 2 smaller cims in each AM shifter.

/QUOTE]


Why not put two small cims each to begin with? The Big ones have less power and weigh a lot more. Are you using the small Cims somewhere else?

05-02-2007 18:42

Setsanto

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Where did you get the lexan from, and how much did it cost you? Our team did some inquiries and didn't find anything below $190 each sheet. Also, how much does it weigh?

~Nick/1334

05-02-2007 19:04

Swampdude

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

It's this stuff the 16mm thickness. They sell it at lowes here in Florida. Although we have hurricanes here and you probably don't so it may not be on the shelf. it was $98 for a 4x8 sheet

05-02-2007 20:07

swamp_child

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

man, right after I leave you guys take all the pictures

06-02-2007 07:33

crazykid234

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Looks really great, I was just wondering, have you tested it when a robot hits it from a running start? Knowing you guys it doesn't matter, but hey, I'm curious..

06-02-2007 08:17

Swampdude

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Not yet, but tonight we'll run it through its ramp paces. However that lowest panel is well supported since its short and just from walking on it, I think its going to do fine. When alliances climb on you you're right in front of them so they can see what they're doing. We found its not hard to drive right up the center even from far away (where the best structural support is). So I think the skinny ramps will even work good. We added width for the climber under diress. We were thinking of forklifts but decided if we drop someone that would be bad. This way if they fall off its their fault and leaves the control/decision to the drivers team whether to risk the climb or not. A 12" drop can be devastating to a bot not built for that. Once you get somone in the air and they get powered off, if you don't have them balanced right, they can roll right off.

06-02-2007 09:22

techtiger1

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Hey Dan and the crew looks like a beast of a robot again this year. The ramp looks great. When you see our bot you will figure out why. The name is priceless and perfect for that robot. I am glad to see the 05 basic shape and framework back in action. Good luck to the Swampthing team this year and we will see you in a few weeks with t21 v4 .

-Drew

06-02-2007 21:53

Swampdude

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Here's a link to the video of us driving last years bot up the ramp

06-02-2007 22:15

Alex Cormier

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

ugh, i just dl'd the newest quicktime and all. i still can't view this or the other video.

06-02-2007 22:17

DanDon

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Hey Alex, did you install DivX?

06-02-2007 22:21

David Guzman

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Looks great swampthing, can't wait to see it next saturday.

Whats the angle on that ramp?

13-02-2007 23:14

Swampdude

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

check out the way cool ramp deployment video

13-02-2007 23:18

Rich Ross

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

You're Right, that video was way cool, as is the deployment of that ramp. Thats gangster. Nice implementation of a large ramp. I hope that it continues to work as well as it does now.

13-02-2007 23:18

bjimster1

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

nice, though I have to say I am most jealous of the robot's name, the USS Swamp Lobsta is a pretty cool name. Props to whoever came us with that one. hopefully we'll get to see it on Saturday.

14-02-2007 00:29

AdamHeard

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Best rampbot I have seen yet..

You paired with two great arm bots will be the best possible alliance.

14-02-2007 08:33

petek

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

Looks like real monster (machine) from the Swamp! I like the ramp deployment. This looks like the best offensive combo robot revealed so far this year. Can't wait to see you in action.

If there are ringers in the area, can you push them out of the way as you deploy the ramp? Have you considered putting a catcher at the front of the ramp to keep a robot from taking a dive onto your nifty lobsta claws?

14-02-2007 21:41

swamp_child

Re: pic: 179 USS Swamp Lobsta

179+ 1889 (right tytus) or w/e HAZE is + 233(guessing) will equal UCF championship!